One Beamed Music Note
by skwirelygurli
Summary: When Ally can't find the nerve to tell Austin how she really feels, she tries to move on. But some things don't always work out the way they're planned, and Ally learns she might just be okay with that. Auslly.


**One Beamed Music Note, an Austin and Ally oneshot**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Austin and Ally, or these quotes from Simon Pulse authors. For **** . .Out, because they are an awesome reviewer. Reviews and requests (Auslly, Klaine) are appreciated!**

_Like on one of those kung fu movies the boys loved to watch, with the English words dubbed over the Chinese sound, and the characters' mouths never quite matching up. -Jennifer Echols, The Boys Next Door_

It's days like these that she has no idea what Austin is talking about. Days when he walks in and picks up a conversation from days before like they had never stopped.

"Ally thinks I should go for it," he tells Dez. "Isn't that right?"

She hands the bag over to the customer. They move in as the space becomes available. He leans over the counter.

"Isn't what right?" She asks, trying to remember what she had told him to do.

"That he should ask you-" Dez starts.

"You-know-who out. The girl we talked about." He elbows Dez in the stomach, hard.

She doesn't notice.

"The pretty one that makes you laugh and your heart skip a beat? How could I forget?" It wasn't often that he came to her for love advice. He hadn't done it since Cassidy.

"Dude, you didn't tell me that Al-"

"Ally knows about it. Yup." He nods, a bit too much. She's pretty sure it wasn't what Dez had planned on saying. She doesn't know what he would've said instead, but it's the second time Austin has cut him off.

It's like when they complete each other's sentences. Except instead of being in sync, like she and him often are, the lines don't match up.

"Oh, look at the time. We have to go, right Dez?" He pulls him out of the store before he can respond.

What a weird way to start the morning.

_Even when they're dead, people still love their own space. -Kristen Tracy, Lost It_

When it's time to close for the day, and Austin still hasn't returned, she's a bit upset. The store had been oddly quiet all day. Trish actually stayed at work (to ogle the stock boy, who she said was super hot) and Dez, she assumed, was still with Austin. She could hear her own thoughts.

The day had not gotten less weird since the morning.

And since she was left alone with her thoughts, she spent much of the day mulling over what had happened. Which only left her more confused.

She sets her pen in her book and knocks on the office door. "Ready to go Dad?"

"Just a minute sweetie."

Great. Yet another minute to think. Another minute to wonder what Dez would have said. Another minute to wonder why they had run off, leaving her behind.

If he wanted to get away from her, all he had to do was say so.

Her dad comes out and locks up the store. Turning around, she sees a pair of eyes watching her from the bush.

"Hello?" she asks, approaching the bush.

Austin,caught and startled, pops out. "Didn't your dad ever tell you not to talk to strange bushes?"

"No." She raises an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing?"

He blinks.

"Ally?" her dad calls for her.

"Coming," she answers back. She gives him a final glance before leaving.

She can still feel his eyes on her back.

_On cue, a little boy and girl holding ice cream cones ran up the hill, right toward where Francesca and Neil were hooking up. -Aimee Friedman, A Novel Idea_

The following afternoon he comes in, Dez on his tail.

"Hey Ally."

"Hey Dez. Austin." She shuts her book, stashing it below the counter.

Austin scuffs his foot against the floor. "I can totally explain about last night."

She had been thinking about it since she had left. Still, she puts on a calm visage and acts like she's just remembering it now.

"Oh yeah. What were you doing in the bushes?"

"I was looking for something I had lost. And then Dallas was there, making out with some girl, and it was really awkward, because they didn't see me, but if they did they'd think I was watching, which I definitely was not. So I waited until they left." He takes a breath.

She frowns. "They were making out?"

"Kissing really," he fumbles.

She lets her hair fall in her face. He reaches over and brushes it aside.

"I bet he kisses like a dead fish," he whispers. He imitates it, and she tries not to laugh.

"Austin." Her tone is accusatory, but he can tell she doesn't mean it.

He grins at her.

She never does ask him what he lost.

_He looked supremely comfortable, sitting cross-legged on the grass, his knees poking out like a grasshopper's, munching on what looked like peanut-butter-and-jelly. -Emma Carlson Berne, Hard to Get_

That weekend they decide to go to the beach. Her dad sleeps in, and she has to open Sonic Boom for him. So she tells the others to go ahead.

An hour later she's searching the beach for them. First she finds Trish at the snack bar.

"What experience do you have?" the worker asks.

"Trust me, I have experience in everything. Isn't that right Ally?" Trish gives her a stern look.

Ally knows Trish isn't the best worker, and will be fired all too soon, but she nods anyway. "She does. Have you seen the guys?"

"Sorry. They were here a few minutes ago." She scans the crowded beach. It's impossible to see them from where they are.

The feeling is odd. This is the second time this week she hasn't known where Austin is, and she does not like it.

In fact, she'd kind of like to keep him on a leash and make sure he never leaves her side.

Why had she told them to go ahead?

She forces her way into the crowd. A knee connects with her backside just as she sees him. He's lounging on a beach towel, eating a hot dog. There's a girl flirting with him.

Is it so wrong for her to be happy that he seems more interested in his hot dog than the girl?

"Are you okay?" There's a hand on her shoulder. She turns to acknowledge it.

That's when she comes face to chest with a very cute boy. "I'm- uh- good."

She mentally congratulates herself for not making a fool of herself. Her nerves are acting up. She resists the urge to chew her hair.

"I'm Yogi."

"Ally."

She lets him lead her to his beach towel. Maybe it's time she just get over Austin.

If only she knew.

_Yes, he might love you. But he's going to say it even if he simply likes you a lot. Or even if he simply thinks you're okay. -Niki Burnham, Sticky Fingers_

It's been nine days when he says it.

"I love you," he moans, pulling on the hem of her shirt.

She detracts herself from his grasp, smoothing her shirt down. "I have to go."

Kissing his cheek, she gets off the couch.

"Is this because of what I said?" He takes her hand and tries to pull her back.

"No, it's just getting late, and I have work in the morning." She glances at the clock. It's 9:30.

He sits up. "Can I at least walk you home?"

She concedes.

They walk hand in hand, past Austin's house. His bedroom light is on. She wants nothing more than to see him. But she's promised herself she's going to get over him. And friends don't show up at other friend's houses at late night hours just to say hello.

Especially not friends with smeared lip gloss and rumpled tee shirts.

If only somebody would keep his hands to himself. She stops herself from slipping her hand out of his.

He gives her a final kiss once they're at her doorstop. She walks inside, taking her phone from her pocket. She begins to dial his number.

Sighing, she hits end.

Somehow she'll make it.

_My attempt at haughtiness is overshadowed by the fact that the shoes I am wearing (cute sparkly purple flip flops with butterflies on them) are drenched from the rain, and so every time I stomp, my shoes squish. -Lauren Barnholdt, Two Way Street_

"I saw you were out with Yogi last night," he says as they walk to his house.

She picks up her pace as the rain falls harder. "Did you hear him tell me he loves me too?"

He stops, and she finds that she has to backtrack. She had hoped he'd have some reaction, but she'd rather they weren't stuck out in the rain.

"Ally," he begins hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"I overheard Yogi saying some things today." He scuffs his shoe, kicking a small puddle.

"What kind of things?" Her shirt is starting to cling to her. She pulls it off her stomach.

He starts to walk again. She follows.

"He said that you were smoking hot for a prude." he mutters.

"What?"

"You're smoking hot," he mutters again.

"Austin, I can't hear you when you mumble."

"He said you're smoking hot!" he yells, and some drivers turn their heads.

He has the decency to blush.

"So he's not allowed to think that I'm hot if he loves me?" She crosses her arms.

He reaches into his pocket for his house key. "Ally, he doesn't love you. He just said that he did."

"Who are you to say if he loves me or not?" She stomps her foot on the ground. She nearly slips to the ground. He catches her.

"If he loved you he'd tell you you're beautiful and he wouldn't try to take your shirt off and call you a prude." He open this the door.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She walks inside.

Austin closes the door behind them.

"Any guy would be lucky to have you Ally. As long as his name isn't Yogi."

She wonders what he thinks about boys named Austin.

_Feeling strangely bold in the dark, I tried to channel Britt by tossing my hair around a little... It wasn't until I felt nothing but the soft thump-thump of my bun on the back of my head that I remembered. -Catherine Hapka, At First Sight_

The next morning, she's running late. She wraps an elastic around her hair, binding it at the top of her head.

"There's something different about Ally," Dez mentions when he arrives at Sonic Boom.

"Her hair is in a bun," Trish answers, not even looking up from her magazine.

He shakes his head. "No, that's not it."

"That's exactly it. I didn't have time to dry my hair this morning." Ally pats her hair down.

She had been up all night with Austin. After they had finished writing the song he had insisted they figure out how she was going to break up with Yogi.

Yogi, who was going to be here any minute. Where is Austin anyway?

He walks in, holding a smoothie cup to his eye.

"Austin, what happened?" She darts around the counter, removing the cup from his eye.

"Nothing," he lies. Her fingers glide over the bruise. He cringes.

Trish sets her magazine down. "Whoa. You got a black eye? Who from?"

Ally backs away. He sighs and takes his cup back.

"Yogi."

Ally steadies herself on the counter. "Austin, what did you do?"

"I know you said you wanted to take care of it, but he was behind me in the smoothie line, talking about you. And I got really angry, so I told him to stop. And then he told me it was none of my business, and I told him it was because nobody hurts my best friend. So then he called me some names I'd rather not repeat and punched me in the eye."

"Why didn't you fight back?" Trish asks.

Austin holds the cup back up to his eye.

"He's not worth it."

Ally can only see his left eye, but she can tell he's looking right at her.

"Let's get you some ice," she offers.

He lets her take him up the stairs. "Sorry I ruined your Yogi plans."

"Sorry he ruined your eye."

"It's only temporary. Besides, I still have the other one."

Is there anything this boy won't give up for her?

_It's a twisted version of Green Eggs and Ham: I could panic in a train! I could panic on a plane! I could panic on the stairs- I could panic anywhere! -Deb Caletti, The Nature of Jade_

"What if he says no Trish? What if I completely screw this up and lose him as a friend?" Ally paces across the practice room.

"He took a punch for you. Guys don't pick fights over just any girl." Trish puts her arms out to stop Ally.

She sits at the piano bench. "Friends are supposed to stick up for other friends. It's what they do."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that they get black eyes for each other. I know I wouldn't."

"Nobody plans to get a black eye Trish."

"Didn't you say he called you beautiful?" She sits down next to Ally.

Austin enters the room. "I got your text. What's up?"

"I'll just be going now." Trish leaves, closing the door.

"I didn't send you a text."

"Yeah you did. Look." He shows her the text. She goes to pull out her own phone.

Where was her phone?

She checks her other pocket. "I can't even find my phone."

Trish.

"Let me help you look for it." He gets on his knees and searches the floor. She joins him.

All of this panicking, and here she is on the floor, searching for her phone and not asking him out. Not asking out the guy who took a punch for her. Not asking out the guy who is crawling around looking for her phone.

Not asking out the guy who thinks she is beautiful.

She really needs to get her priorities straight.

As soon as she finds her phone.

_He unleashed the dimples again, smiling like he knew something, and I felt my face heat up because Will was really cute and I wasn't as immune to him as I wanted to be.-Elizabeth Scott, Perfect You _

They're walking with his arm around her shoulder when Austin sees him. He's sitting at Mini's, with his bite sized pizza and his new girlfriend. He makes a u-turn.

"Aren't we going to get something to eat?" she asks, peering over her shoulder.

"We are, just not here."

"Why not?"

He pulls her in closer. "Because you deserve to eat without any jerks hanging around. And I really don't want another black eye from Yogi."

She snuggles into his side.

"So where are we going then?"

"Ice cream?" He smiles like a little boy. So hopeful and innocent.

She agrees. "Ice cream."

His grin grows and she loves the look of joy in his eyes. It reminds her how desperately in love she is with him. And how not-in love she is with Yogi. How could she have ever thought he could replace Austin?

Especially when she sees how cute he is with ice cream on the tip of his nose.

There was no way she was getting over Austin.

_Whoever blinks first has the power. -Kelly McClymer, Getting to Third Date_

It's been a month since she caught him in the bushes.

She's not sure what reminds her of that day. But her mind is whirring, and she's still trying to figure out what Dez wanted to say.

So this time, she asks him.

"Hey Dez, who is the girl Austin likes?"

He attempts to shove his fist in his mouth.

When Trish comes in, she tries to ask her.

"Oh that's easy. Austin likes-"

"Pancakes!" he finishes, entering the store. She comes out from behind the counter.

"Austin, can we talk?"

He swallows. Then he nods and lets her drag him to the practice room.

She shuts the door behind them. She opens her mouth, but he speaks.

"Ally, I love you." He slaps his hand over his mouth. Apparently that wasn't supposed to be public information.

"I'm the girl?" Her voice is full of shock.

He removes his hand. "I wanted to tell you sooner. But it was never the right time."

"And you thought now would be the right time?" She tries to control her rapid heartbeat.

"No, but a guy can only hold it in so long." He rests his hand on her arm.

He looks at her nervously. She isn't saying anything.

It's days like these she realizes she doesn't have to.

There's more than one way for lips to tell a story.

"So this means you like me back?"

"I may have been jealous of this perfect girl of yours," she admits.

"It was you."

"I didn't know that."

"Oh yeah."

She kisses him again.

They open the door to find Dez and Trish trying to act casual. They fail.

"Congrats bud." Dez highfives Austin.

"So who wears the pants in the relationship?" Trish asks.

Ally thinks back to all of those teen magazines they had read at slumber parties. 'Whoever blinks first has the power.'

"Austin blinked first." She takes his hand.

"I did?"

"That night, in the bushes. You blinked first."

He squeezes her hand and lets go.

"I almost forgot." His hand plunges into his pocket. He pulls out a necklace. "Remember how I lost something that day?"

He unclasps it and strings it around her neck. One beamed music note, an A on each side.

Austin and Ally, together in perfect harmony.

Just like it should be.

Just like it is.


End file.
